Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS secretary

Noem becomes the first Cabinet member to exit this term

President Trump announced on March 5 that he fired Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Trump posted the news on Truth Social and said he would nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to replace her, effective March 31. Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term.

Trump reassigned her to a new role called “Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a Western Hemisphere security initiative. The duties of that role have not been spelled out.

A $220 million ad campaign ended it

The final break came down to a fight over money. Noem told the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3 that Trump personally approved a $220 million DHS ad campaign that featured her prominently.

Two days later, Trump denied it. He told Reuters he “never knew anything about” the campaign.

Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Trump called him the night of the hearing and was furious. A White House official backed Trump’s version.

The gap between Noem’s sworn testimony and Trump’s denial sealed her fate.

No-bid contracts raised red flags early

The ad deals went to two firms, Safe America Media and People Who Think, without competitive bidding. DHS used a national emergency declaration to skip the standard process.

Kennedy pointed out that Safe America Media was formed just 11 days before landing the contract. The production company behind the campaign, The Strategy Group, had ties to Noem’s 2022 governor’s race.

Its CEO is married to a former DHS spokesperson. Noem denied picking the contractors but admitted she reviews all contracts over $5 million.

Both parties had turned against her

Calls for Noem to go came from every direction. Republican Sens.

Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both of whom voted to confirm her, demanded her resignation back in January. At the March 3 hearing, Tillis called her time at DHS “a disaster.”

Kennedy told Noem the ads mostly boosted “your name recognition” and put Trump “in a terribly awkward spot.” Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, publicly urged Trump to fire her.

In the House, 187 Democrats co-sponsored articles of impeachment.

Two citizens died during the Minneapolis operation

Two U.S. citizens died during Operation Metro Surge, a massive immigration enforcement sweep in Minneapolis. ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, on Jan. 7.

CBP officers fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old VA hospital intensive care nurse, on Jan. 24. DHS called the operation its largest ever, sending about 2,000 agents to the Twin Cities.

Bystander video of both shootings spread widely and appeared to contradict official accounts. Noem called Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” drawing sharp backlash.

Minneapolis killings defined her tenure

The deaths sparked national protests, vigils and a general strike in Minnesota.

The House impeachment effort ballooned from 53 co-sponsors after Good’s death to 187 by the time Noem left. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey posted “Good riddance” after the firing.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said it was “good she’s gone” but argued DHS needs a “complete overhaul.”

A senior administration official said Noem’s “drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda.”

DHS shutdown hits its 20th day

The Department of Homeland Security has been in a partial shutdown since Feb. 14 after Democrats blocked funding over immigration enforcement demands.

DHS is the last federal agency without full-year funding for fiscal year 2026. More than 90% of DHS’s roughly 260,000 employees have kept working, many without pay.

TSA workers, FEMA staff and Coast Guard civilians have received partial paychecks or nothing at all.

ICE and CBP operations have continued because those agencies got separate funding through the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Global Entry remains suspended nationwide

On Feb. 22, Noem and top adviser Corey Lewandowski ordered both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry suspended.

The White House stepped in within hours to reverse the PreCheck decision, but Global Entry remains down at airports across the country.

Neither program was shut off during the previous 43-day government shutdown last fall.

Lawmakers from both parties criticized the move, viewing it as an attempt to use travelers as leverage in the funding standoff. Spring break travel season is now approaching with no resolution.

Lewandowski is expected to leave DHS too

Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign manager who served as Noem’s top adviser, is also expected to leave DHS. He worked as a special government employee, a role capped at 130 days per year.

Lawmakers questioned how much power he held over grants and contracts.

NBC News reported that Noem handpicked contractors for a separate $100 million ICE recruitment campaign, bypassing competitive bidding, with Lewandowski involved.

At a House hearing on March 4, Noem refused to answer questions about her personal relationship with Lewandowski.

Mullin brings an unusual background to DHS

Markwayne Mullin is a first-term Republican senator from Oklahoma, born in 1977.

He is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, making him the first Native American senator since Ben Nighthorse Campbell retired in 2005.

Before politics, Mullin ran Mullin Plumbing, the largest service company in his region, and fought as an undefeated professional MMA fighter.

He served in the U.S. House from 2013 to 2023 before winning a special election to replace retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe. Trump called him “a MAGA Warrior.”

Mullin has bipartisan support so far

Mullin still needs Senate confirmation but can serve as acting DHS secretary under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act while his nomination moves forward.

Tillis, who had threatened to block nominations over Noem, said he could not think of anyone he would “more proudly want to support.” Fetterman said he would vote yes, breaking with most Democrats.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is “a resounding NO” and argued the Senate should hold off until DHS reforms its enforcement practices.

Key questions remain after Noem’s exit

Noem thanked Trump for the envoy role and pointed to what she called “historic accomplishments” at DHS. She did not address her firing at a law enforcement event in Nashville shortly after the announcement.

Trump spoke with her by phone before she appeared. The DHS shutdown continues with no deal in sight, and spring break travel is weeks away.

Mullin told reporters he wants to “get the Department of Homeland Security working for the American people” and is “open to new ideas.”

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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